Stop me if you've heard this before: The Los Angeles Lakers are perfectly positioned to acquire one of the best young big men in the NBA. Though not nearly as prolific as the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Pau Gasol, or Shaquille O'Neal, longtime Lakers trade target Walker Kessler is suddenly a viable player to pursue.
Kessler and the Utah Jazz took part in Media Day on Monday, Sep. 29, and the 24-year-old provided an update on his contract year that Los Angeles should be giddy to hear.
Kessler is entering the final season of the rookie-scale contract he signed after going No. 22 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Jazz have thus far been unwilling to trade Kessler for anything less than a franchise-altering return, but their decision to not extend their franchise center has opened a new door.
During his Media Day appearance, Kessler commented on the failed negotiations for a contract extension and expressed his dismay over the result.
When asked about the contract situation, Walker Kessler gives an honest answer of being frustrated. Also says he doesn’t want to talk about it moving forward.
— JazzNation (@JazzNationNews) September 29, 2025
.#JazzNation #UtahJazz #TakeNote#NBA pic.twitter.com/w7i9VvFDoJ
Nothing is imminent, but the path to trading for Kessler appears to be more realistic than ever before for Rob Pelinka and the Lakers.
Walker Kessler unhappy he wasn't extended; door open for Lakers trade?
Kessler is certainly justified to be disappointed in the way his contract extension negotiations concluded. In addition to being one of the preeminent young centers in the NBA, he's a player whom the Jazz have declined offers for in the past, including a proposal from the New York Knicks that included two first-round draft picks.
That would seemingly imply that Utah is prioritizing Kessler as a key figure in their long-term vision, but its approach to his extension may suggest otherwise to the player himself.
Kessler stressed that he will approach the situation with professionalism and continue to commit himself to helping the Jazz play winning basketball. The seeds of discontent appear to have been planted, however, and the opportunity to pursue a trade has thus been presented.
It's unclear if Los Angeles would be able to meet Utah's lofty asking price for Kessler, but its odds improved when Kessler publicly acknowledged how he feels about not being extended.
In the event that the Lakers manage to acquire Kessler, he'd instantly resolve three of their most pressing issues. For one, he's a top-tier shot blocker with career averages of 2.4 blocks per game and 3.4 per 36 minutes who would help Los Angeles solidify its interior defense.
Kessler is also one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA at 3.4 per game and 4.8 per 36 minutes for his career, while the Lakers ranked No. 27 in second-chance points in 2024-25.
The third manner in which Kessler would help Los Angeles is by becoming the lob target Luka Doncic has been searching for. He's a 7'0" titan who may not be as athletic as Daniel Gafford or P.J. Washington, but moves well without the ball and knows how to find the space to finish.
The Lakers still have an uphill battle if they hope to convince the Jazz to complete a trade, but the Kessler saga is developing exactly how Pelinka needs it to.